Satellite Communications Security
By Jerry Usery
CS591
Fundamentals of Computer/Network Security
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
May 2007
Abstract
Satellites are present in and impact our lives in more ways than we may realize. From driving a vehicle, to entertainment, and future military strategies, the importance of satellites in our daily lives is growing. There are many natural ways that satellite communications may be disrupted or fail. Because of our dependence on them, they are also increasingly becoming attractive targets to attack to weaken a business, enemy or nation. It is quickly becoming apparent that businesses and government agencies must take satellite communications security very seriously.
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Physical Security
The hardware of the actual satellites themselves can be vulnerable to many kinds of threats. Space weather is just one natural phenomenon that can cause a variety of problems with satellites. For example, space weather can cause charging of satellites where the protons go one way around a satellite and electrons the other. The initial charging isn’t the big problem though. Discharging of a built up charge is what can damage a satellite quite severely. If deep discharging of the internal components occurs, the guts of the satellite can be badly damaged and the entire satellite could become useless.
Type of threat / Vulnerable Satellite System ComponentGround-based:
· Natural occurrences (including earthquakes and floods; adverse temperature environments)
· Power outage /
Ground stations; control centers
and data links
Space-based:
· Space environment (solar, cosmic radiation; temperature variation)
· Space objects (including debris) / Satellites; control centers and data links
Interference-based:
· Solar activity; atmospheric and solar disturbances
· Unintentional human interference (caused by terrestrial and space-based wireless systems) /
Satellites; control centers and data links
Threats to Commercial Satellite Systems
(http://satjournal.tcom.ohiou.edu/Issue6/overview1.html)
There is a large catalog of space debris as well that can impact with a satellite and cause it to malfunction or completely fail. This debris is partly natural material and partly man-made material. There was a large increase in mad-made debris in low earth orbit due to an event on January 11, 2007 when China successfully completed an anti-satellite (asat) weapons test. The Chinese destroyed an inactive FY-1C weather satellite of theirs with a ballistic missile at more than 500 miles altitude. This event showed how political differences could threaten the presumed safety of satellites. The United States Air Force has been very busy cataloging the debris field of more than 1,000 pieces caused by the Chinese action. Their attack has increased the threat of physical damage to military, scientific and commercial satellites in orbit and introduced a new vulnerability to the issue.
Illustration of older Fengyun 1 series of weather satellites
(http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_Condemns_China_Satellite_Killer_Test_999.html)
Malicious Communications
Malicious communications are an emerging threat to satellite-related communications. In November, 2004, Satellite Security Systems (S3) demonstrated the shutdown of a fully loaded and moving petrochemical tanker truck using satellite communications for the first time. The truck was disabled in mere seconds. The existence of such a vulnerability is a potential threat to hazardous material transportation around the world. Terrorists could use this type of manipulation of satellite communications to cause immense destruction to property and lives.
Two security experts, as recently as early 2007, have demonstrated the injection of false messages into automotive satellite navigation systems. They discovered that certain codes are used to send warning messages that are displayed on the navigation systems. They used off the shelf equipment to send the warning messages to their own navigation systems. The messages ranged from a simple foggy weather warning to terrorist attacks. To send these messages, they used a standard that allows FM radio stations to send data over a small slice of a spectrum every FM channel has called Radio Data System (RDS).
The experts found that RDS data isn’t authenticated or encrypted. This allowed them to broadcast their data to be picked up by any satellite navigation system. Most of these navigation systems cycle through FM channels looking for messages sent via RDS. They reported that a hacker could maliciously obscure an existing station to transmit the data they choose, similar to a man-in-the-middle attack, or the hacker could transmit data over an unused channel. The experts also found that these navigation systems aren’t easy to upgrade. The likelihood that this type of attack could be prevented is very low unless future standards address the vulnerability.
Countermeasures
In a move to protect Department of Defense satellite communications by delivering the communications through a satellite-based router, the United States military plan to test an Internet router in space. The satellite to deliver this router is scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2009. The three-year project to protect satellite communications, called Internet Routing In Space (IRIS), would potentially help to protect commercial broadband satellite communications as well. These routers could route Internet Protocol (IP) traffic between satellites in space, similarly to how packets are moved currently on the ground. The IRIS payload will be able to support voice, data, and video network services.
Benefits of this approach are believed to be reduction of delays, reduced capacity needs and increased networking flexibility. Rather than sending a message from a ground station to a satellite, then receiving a reply from the satellite to forward on to another satellite, the satellite can forward the message directly to the appropriate destination on the correct frequency. The satellites in effect can become a part of a terrestrial IP network and be managed similarly.
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Conclusion
The growing reliance of satellites in society is causing security experts to determine vulnerabilities and threats so they may develop ways to prevent damage and maintain reliability of their satellite communications. Satellite shielding and other methods are used to aid in protecting satellites from space weather. In addition to blowing up a satellite in space, China has proven that it can blind American satellites with lasers. The Department of Defense is now stepping up its space protections efforts. Businesses are looking at strategies to protect their investments in satellite technology to get or keep their competitive edge. It is likely inevitable that the balance of world power will shift somewhat as interested parties struggle with the challenges ahead in protecting their satellite communications.
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References
1) Akir, Ziad I. 2002. Satellite Security. Space Security: Possible Issues & Potential Solutions http://satjournal.tcom.ohiou.edu/Issue6/overview1.html
2) Bain, Sean P. November 2003. The Increasing Threat to Satellite Communications http://satjournal.tcom.ohiou.edu/Issue6/overview2.html
3) Senior leaders testify about Air Force space program. http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2007/space-070405-afpn01.htm
4) Security Experts Warn of Satellite Navigation Hacks. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131049-pg,1/article.html
5) Military Plans to Surf in Space. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130659/article.html
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